New Broughton Market set to become monthly event

Community group Salford Involved are holding the first of what they hope will be a successful monthly New Broughton market.

The Vibe on Broughton Lane where the community gym is based

The Broughton based group already run a lunch club, where people can go along for some food and a chat, and a job club offering help with job searches, CV writing, and courses to teach skills that will enable people to get a job, or start their own business. One such course on how to start up and run your own micro-business, such as running a market stall, has proved successful.

Community Organiser Nick Burke (pictured) from Salford Involved said: “We have been running courses in the local area on how to become self-employed; what businesses can you start that are quite cheap, but will create an income. Then over time we decided we would try a market.”

The group tried their hand at a church Christmas market with the people who had completed the micro-business course and had set up their own stalls. “It went well. We had some good publicity which turned into a high footfall,” said Nick.

To begin with the idea was to hold a market at the end of the stall running course – about four markets a year. Due to the high level of interest however, the group is now looking at one a month.

Nick said: “We have about ten people who have booked and paid for their stall, with about another 25 who have expressed a serious interest.”

The other aim for the group is to encourage more of a community spirit in Broughton. In 2004 Countryside Properties and Salford City Council went into partnership to regenerate the Lower Broughton area in Central Salford. The aim was to build up to 3500 mixed tenure homes and community facilities, including The Vibe, where a community gym has been set up.

The new homes built saw new people moving into the area, but it lacked a sense of community.

Nick said: “The problem we have in the area is that a lot of people who live in those houses aren’t from the area, so there is a problem with integration. They don’t get involved in the community, which may be because there isn’t a lot to get involved in. So we took the market that worked so well in Higher Broughton, and brought it to The Vibe because where it is, it is in the middle of Higher and Lower Broughton.”

The first market will be held on 10 May on Broughton Lane, Salford, from 10am until 3pm.